 We are here today to sign a memorandum of understanding with UKM to signal our intention to establish the Global Malaysian Studies Network here at ANU. The Malaysian Government to the National University of Malaysia has agreed to contribute Australian dollars 150,000 annually to the GMSN at ANU for a period of five years to provide funding for research and other academic collaborations in the field of Malaysian Studies. An Institute of Ethnic Studies of UKM, as the Malaysian counterpart to the GMSN at ANU, will also receive 500,000 ringgit annually from the Ministry of Education and the Trans-M Malaysian Government. The network is much more affordable, more effective and easy to maintain organizationally with a great advantage of being able to expand quickly when necessary. The network at ANU will not only provide a Malaysian Studies base within Australia but will also act as a key international node in a global Malaysian Studies network.